[PATCH v6 00/12] mm: establish const-correctness for pointer parameters

Max Kellermann posted 12 patches 1 month ago
arch/arm/include/asm/highmem.h      |  6 +--
arch/parisc/include/asm/processor.h |  2 +-
arch/parisc/kernel/sys_parisc.c     |  2 +-
arch/s390/mm/mmap.c                 |  6 +--
arch/sparc/kernel/sys_sparc_64.c    |  2 +-
arch/x86/mm/mmap.c                  |  6 +--
arch/xtensa/include/asm/highmem.h   |  2 +-
include/linux/fs.h                  |  6 +--
include/linux/highmem-internal.h    | 36 +++++++++---------
include/linux/highmem.h             |  8 ++--
include/linux/mm.h                  | 56 +++++++++++++--------------
include/linux/mm_inline.h           | 25 ++++++------
include/linux/mm_types.h            |  4 +-
include/linux/mmzone.h              | 42 ++++++++++----------
include/linux/pagemap.h             | 59 +++++++++++++++--------------
include/linux/sched/mm.h            |  4 +-
include/linux/shmem_fs.h            |  4 +-
mm/highmem.c                        | 10 ++---
mm/oom_kill.c                       |  6 +--
mm/shmem.c                          |  6 +--
mm/util.c                           | 16 ++++----
21 files changed, 155 insertions(+), 153 deletions(-)
[PATCH v6 00/12] mm: establish const-correctness for pointer parameters
Posted by Max Kellermann 1 month ago
For improved const-correctness in the low-level memory-management
subsystem, which provides a basis for further const-ification further
up the call stack (e.g. filesystems).

This patch series splitted into smaller patches was initially posted
as a single large patch:

 https://lore.kernel.org/lkml/20250827192233.447920-1-max.kellermann@ionos.com/

I started this work when I tried to constify the Ceph filesystem code,
but found that to be impossible because many "mm" functions accept
non-const pointer, even though they modify nothing.

Signed-off-by: Max Kellermann <max.kellermann@ionos.com>
---
v1 -> v2:
- made several parameter values const (i.e. the pointer address, not
  just the pointed-to memory), as suggested by Andrew Morton and
  Yuanchu Xie
- drop existing+obsolete "extern" keywords on lines modified by these
  patches (suggested by Vishal Moola)
- add missing parameter names on lines modified by these patches
  (suggested by Vishal Moola)
- more "const" pointers (e.g. the task_struct passed to
  process_shares_mm())
- add missing "const" to s390, fixing s390 build failure
- moved the mmap_is_legacy() change in arch/s390/mm/mmap.c from 08/12
  to 06/12 (suggested by Vishal Moola)

v2 -> v3:
- remove garbage from 06/12
- changed tags on subject line (suggested by Matthew Wilcox)

v3 -> v4:
- more verbose commit messages including a listing of function names
  (suggested by David Hildenbrand and Lorenzo Stoakes)

v4 -> v5:
- back to shorter commit messages after an agreement between David
  Hildenbrand and Lorenzo Stoakes was found

v5 -> v6:
- fix inconsistent constness of assert_fault_locked()
- revert the const parameter value change from v2 (requested by
  Lorenzo Stoakes)
- revert the long cover letter, removing long explanations again
  (requested by Lorenzo Stoakes)

Max Kellermann (12):
  mm: constify shmem related test functions for improved
    const-correctness
  mm: constify pagemap related test/getter functions
  mm: constify zone related test/getter functions
  fs: constify mapping related test functions for improved
    const-correctness
  mm: constify process_shares_mm() for improved const-correctness
  mm, s390: constify mapping related test/getter functions
  parisc: constify mmap_upper_limit() parameter
  mm: constify arch_pick_mmap_layout() for improved const-correctness
  mm: constify ptdesc_pmd_pts_count() and folio_get_private()
  mm: constify various inline functions for improved const-correctness
  mm: constify assert/test functions in mm.h
  mm: constify highmem related functions for improved const-correctness

 arch/arm/include/asm/highmem.h      |  6 +--
 arch/parisc/include/asm/processor.h |  2 +-
 arch/parisc/kernel/sys_parisc.c     |  2 +-
 arch/s390/mm/mmap.c                 |  6 +--
 arch/sparc/kernel/sys_sparc_64.c    |  2 +-
 arch/x86/mm/mmap.c                  |  6 +--
 arch/xtensa/include/asm/highmem.h   |  2 +-
 include/linux/fs.h                  |  6 +--
 include/linux/highmem-internal.h    | 36 +++++++++---------
 include/linux/highmem.h             |  8 ++--
 include/linux/mm.h                  | 56 +++++++++++++--------------
 include/linux/mm_inline.h           | 25 ++++++------
 include/linux/mm_types.h            |  4 +-
 include/linux/mmzone.h              | 42 ++++++++++----------
 include/linux/pagemap.h             | 59 +++++++++++++++--------------
 include/linux/sched/mm.h            |  4 +-
 include/linux/shmem_fs.h            |  4 +-
 mm/highmem.c                        | 10 ++---
 mm/oom_kill.c                       |  6 +--
 mm/shmem.c                          |  6 +--
 mm/util.c                           | 16 ++++----
 21 files changed, 155 insertions(+), 153 deletions(-)

-- 
2.47.2
Re: [PATCH v6 00/12] mm: establish const-correctness for pointer parameters
Posted by Lorenzo Stoakes 1 month ago
On Mon, Sep 01, 2025 at 10:50:09PM +0200, Max Kellermann wrote:
> For improved const-correctness in the low-level memory-management
> subsystem, which provides a basis for further const-ification further
> up the call stack (e.g. filesystems).

Great, this succinctly expresses what you want!

>
> This patch series splitted into smaller patches was initially posted
> as a single large patch:
>
>  https://lore.kernel.org/lkml/20250827192233.447920-1-max.kellermann@ionos.com/
>
> I started this work when I tried to constify the Ceph filesystem code,
> but found that to be impossible because many "mm" functions accept
> non-const pointer, even though they modify nothing.

And as Vlasta said, this is great context.

>
> Signed-off-by: Max Kellermann <max.kellermann@ionos.com>

Glad we got there in the end :) hopefully having more const-ification will have
a knock-on effect anyway for future development both by:

a. People needing to ensure it downstream of this stuff &.
b. Seeing the pattern and adopting it.

So this should have a positive impact I think :)

Cheers, Lorenzo

> ---
> v1 -> v2:
> - made several parameter values const (i.e. the pointer address, not
>   just the pointed-to memory), as suggested by Andrew Morton and
>   Yuanchu Xie
> - drop existing+obsolete "extern" keywords on lines modified by these
>   patches (suggested by Vishal Moola)
> - add missing parameter names on lines modified by these patches
>   (suggested by Vishal Moola)
> - more "const" pointers (e.g. the task_struct passed to
>   process_shares_mm())
> - add missing "const" to s390, fixing s390 build failure
> - moved the mmap_is_legacy() change in arch/s390/mm/mmap.c from 08/12
>   to 06/12 (suggested by Vishal Moola)
>
> v2 -> v3:
> - remove garbage from 06/12
> - changed tags on subject line (suggested by Matthew Wilcox)
>
> v3 -> v4:
> - more verbose commit messages including a listing of function names
>   (suggested by David Hildenbrand and Lorenzo Stoakes)
>
> v4 -> v5:
> - back to shorter commit messages after an agreement between David
>   Hildenbrand and Lorenzo Stoakes was found
>
> v5 -> v6:
> - fix inconsistent constness of assert_fault_locked()
> - revert the const parameter value change from v2 (requested by
>   Lorenzo Stoakes)
> - revert the long cover letter, removing long explanations again
>   (requested by Lorenzo Stoakes)
>
> Max Kellermann (12):
>   mm: constify shmem related test functions for improved
>     const-correctness
>   mm: constify pagemap related test/getter functions
>   mm: constify zone related test/getter functions
>   fs: constify mapping related test functions for improved
>     const-correctness
>   mm: constify process_shares_mm() for improved const-correctness
>   mm, s390: constify mapping related test/getter functions
>   parisc: constify mmap_upper_limit() parameter
>   mm: constify arch_pick_mmap_layout() for improved const-correctness
>   mm: constify ptdesc_pmd_pts_count() and folio_get_private()
>   mm: constify various inline functions for improved const-correctness
>   mm: constify assert/test functions in mm.h
>   mm: constify highmem related functions for improved const-correctness
>
>  arch/arm/include/asm/highmem.h      |  6 +--
>  arch/parisc/include/asm/processor.h |  2 +-
>  arch/parisc/kernel/sys_parisc.c     |  2 +-
>  arch/s390/mm/mmap.c                 |  6 +--
>  arch/sparc/kernel/sys_sparc_64.c    |  2 +-
>  arch/x86/mm/mmap.c                  |  6 +--
>  arch/xtensa/include/asm/highmem.h   |  2 +-
>  include/linux/fs.h                  |  6 +--
>  include/linux/highmem-internal.h    | 36 +++++++++---------
>  include/linux/highmem.h             |  8 ++--
>  include/linux/mm.h                  | 56 +++++++++++++--------------
>  include/linux/mm_inline.h           | 25 ++++++------
>  include/linux/mm_types.h            |  4 +-
>  include/linux/mmzone.h              | 42 ++++++++++----------
>  include/linux/pagemap.h             | 59 +++++++++++++++--------------
>  include/linux/sched/mm.h            |  4 +-
>  include/linux/shmem_fs.h            |  4 +-
>  mm/highmem.c                        | 10 ++---
>  mm/oom_kill.c                       |  6 +--
>  mm/shmem.c                          |  6 +--
>  mm/util.c                           | 16 ++++----
>  21 files changed, 155 insertions(+), 153 deletions(-)
>
> --
> 2.47.2
>
Re: [PATCH v6 00/12] mm: establish const-correctness for pointer parameters
Posted by David Hildenbrand 1 month ago
On 02.09.25 08:19, Lorenzo Stoakes wrote:
> On Mon, Sep 01, 2025 at 10:50:09PM +0200, Max Kellermann wrote:
>> For improved const-correctness in the low-level memory-management
>> subsystem, which provides a basis for further const-ification further
>> up the call stack (e.g. filesystems).
> 
> Great, this succinctly expresses what you want!
> 
>>
>> This patch series splitted into smaller patches was initially posted
>> as a single large patch:
>>
>>   https://lore.kernel.org/lkml/20250827192233.447920-1-max.kellermann@ionos.com/
>>
>> I started this work when I tried to constify the Ceph filesystem code,
>> but found that to be impossible because many "mm" functions accept
>> non-const pointer, even though they modify nothing.
> 
> And as Vlasta said, this is great context.

Yes, that's valuable information, and the series is looking lovely now.

-- 
Cheers

David / dhildenb
Re: [PATCH v6 00/12] mm: establish const-correctness for pointer parameters
Posted by Shakeel Butt 4 weeks ago
On Mon, Sep 01, 2025 at 10:50:09PM +0200, Max Kellermann wrote:
> For improved const-correctness in the low-level memory-management
> subsystem, which provides a basis for further const-ification further
> up the call stack (e.g. filesystems).
> 
> This patch series splitted into smaller patches was initially posted
> as a single large patch:
> 
>  https://lore.kernel.org/lkml/20250827192233.447920-1-max.kellermann@ionos.com/
> 
> I started this work when I tried to constify the Ceph filesystem code,
> but found that to be impossible because many "mm" functions accept
> non-const pointer, even though they modify nothing.
> 
> Signed-off-by: Max Kellermann <max.kellermann@ionos.com>

For the series:

Acked-by: Shakeel Butt <shakeel.butt@linux.dev>
Re: [PATCH v6 00/12] mm: establish const-correctness for pointer parameters
Posted by Mike Rapoport 1 month ago
On Mon, Sep 01, 2025 at 10:50:09PM +0200, Max Kellermann wrote:
> For improved const-correctness in the low-level memory-management
> subsystem, which provides a basis for further const-ification further
> up the call stack (e.g. filesystems).
> 
> This patch series splitted into smaller patches was initially posted
> as a single large patch:
> 
>  https://lore.kernel.org/lkml/20250827192233.447920-1-max.kellermann@ionos.com/
> 
> I started this work when I tried to constify the Ceph filesystem code,
> but found that to be impossible because many "mm" functions accept
> non-const pointer, even though they modify nothing.
> 
> Signed-off-by: Max Kellermann <max.kellermann@ionos.com>

Acked-by: Mike Rapoport (Microsoft) <rppt@kernel.org>

-- 
Sincerely yours,
Mike.
Re: [PATCH v6 00/12] mm: establish const-correctness for pointer parameters
Posted by Vlastimil Babka 1 month ago
On 9/1/25 22:50, Max Kellermann wrote:
> For improved const-correctness in the low-level memory-management
> subsystem, which provides a basis for further const-ification further
> up the call stack (e.g. filesystems).
> 
> This patch series splitted into smaller patches was initially posted
> as a single large patch:
> 
>  https://lore.kernel.org/lkml/20250827192233.447920-1-max.kellermann@ionos.com/
> 
> I started this work when I tried to constify the Ceph filesystem code,
> but found that to be impossible because many "mm" functions accept
> non-const pointer, even though they modify nothing.

I think (and tried to verify with a lore search) it's the first time you
mention this motivation and it's very useful to state that, thanks!
> Signed-off-by: Max Kellermann <max.kellermann@ionos.com>

Acked-by: Vlastimil Babka <vbabka@suse.cz>